09/28/2012

We had a wonderful week filled with work, outside time, baking, visitors and eating the Year Two snack. The class welcomed Autumn. We looked for Signs of Fall outside of the classroom. The children are welcome to bring nature items into the classroom.

Counting work has been very popular this week. Montessori counting 1 to 10 can be taught using several techniques, including Sanpaper Numerals, Number Rods, Spindle Boxes, and Cards and Counters. I have also observed children counting the Pink Tower cubes, Knobless Cylinders and the Broad Stairs; these materials all consist of ten objects.

The children love our outside time! It is so natural for the child to want to go outside and explore nature. We have an abundance of nature in our own backyard at Sabrina Park. The children are always hands-on with nature and are starting to ask questions using the information from our lessons. For example, one child asked, “Does an ant have a backbone?” This goes along with our vertebrate and invertebrate work. The answer is no, as an insect, ants are invertebrates, and thus do not have a backbone.

Thank you to the Year Two children for baking apple oatmeal muffins for snack this week. The muffins were enjoyed by all of the children!

Paula Glasgow, the Dean of Montessori Teachers College visited our Toddler and Casa classes this week and watched the children work. We were very excited to welcome her to Sabrina Park. Also, our Commissioner of Community Services Rick Williams, and our Principal Timo Bijl, visited the children and enjoyed observing work and lessons. The children practiced Practical Life (Grace and Courtesy), as they greeted visitors into our classroom.